While making a hiring decision based solely on a candidate’s age is potentially illegal, that does not mean that age-related discrimination does not occur. At times, younger workers have an edge when it comes to technology roles, as employers assume they are more adept naturally. As a result, older professionals may need to take certain steps to ensure that age-related stereotypes do not prevent them from landing an interview.

Luckily, it is not hard to age-proof your resume. Here is how to get started:

Remove Old Jobs

There is no rule that says you have to list all of your previous employers on your resume. In fact, doing so can actually allow hiring managers to estimate your age, and that may not work in your favor. Plus, in many cases, hiring managers are more concerned about what you have done as of late, not what you accomplished 15 years ago.

Instead of including everything, focus only on relevant recent experience, going back no more than 10 or 15 years, max. Include details that cover all of the requirements in the job description, highlighting applicable accomplishments and quantifying the data whenever possible.

Avoid Unnecessary Dates

If you earned your degree or certifications near the start of your career, then listing the dates you received your degree or other credentials will make it easier to guess your age. Instead of including the date, omit it entirely. While the hiring manager will want to know that you earned a degree or certification, they do not necessarily need to know when, so do not think that you have to include anything that creates a timeline in this case.

Update Your Contact Options

Did you know that your email account domain could lead a hiring manager to assume you are older? It’s true. Similarly, listing a landline could cause them to make assumptions too.

Today, you want to be seen as tech-savvy. Start by making sure your email domain is one that younger professionals would use, like a free account through Gmail. Additionally, only list a smartphone number on your resume, and do so without labeling it with “cell” or “mobile,” as that is unnecessary.

Get Rid of the Objective Statement

The objective statement used to be a standard addition on any resume. If you haven’t searched for a new job in quite some time, then your last one may have featured that section. And it’s time to remove it.

Objective statements fell out of favor some time ago. After all, they didn’t really provide hiring managers with much value, so it shouldn’t be a surprise. By keeping it, you don’t just look like you haven’t kept up with the times, it also makes you appear older as younger workers would never list one.

Instead, craft a high-quality professional summary that highlights your strengths and how you can provide value to a prospective employer. This is much more impactful and ensures your resume matches with current trends.

Reach Out to The Armada Group for More Resume Help!

By following the tips above, you can age-proof your resume. If you would like more information, the team at The Armada Group can help you craft this critical document. Contact us to speak with one of our staff members today and see how our resume writing expertise can benefit you.

It's tempting to embellish your achievements on your resume. The whole point is to put forward a representation of you that gets you hired. You're expected to put forward information that presents you in a positive light, but don't take it to the point of making up degrees and lying about what you've accomplished.

The Internet Knows Everything

Even if your potential employer doesn't do a full background check, they're likely to do a simple Google search on your name. If the information on your resume doesn't match what they find on Google, that will send up a red flag. And even if you pay a reputation management firm to try to push negative information down in the search results, the information is still out there. It's better to prepare responses to the negative information that show you learned from the situation.

Character Counts

Employees want employees they can trust. The job may involve handling money; it may involve handling valuable intellectual property. In every case, companies need to believe you'll be honest and treat their money and property respectfully. There's no worse way to prove you're honest enough for a job than lying about yourself before you're even hired.

You Set Yourself Up for Failure

If you manage to nab an interview, but don't have the skills and experience claimed on your resume, it's not likely to go well. Employers are likely to probe to verify you have the knowledge implied by acronyms and buzzwords, and if you threw them in just to get in the door, you won't make a good impression. If you somehow manage to actually get a job that requires the skills you claimed, you're not likely to succeed on the job.

You Can Get Fired

Don't think you're safe just because you got the job and you're managing to perform okay. You can get fired for lying whenever the company finds out about it.

You Hurt Yourself

Even if you fake your way through everything, get a job, and manage to succeed on it, you'll know it's all based on a lie. Protect your self-esteem and base your career on a solid foundation instead. If you think you need to lie about your accomplishments to get a job, there are other ways to buff your resume.

You can take training to get the skills you lack, or complete an academic program to earn that degree. You can prepare answers to questions about why you should be hired despite lacking a specific certification or skill. And you can network to meet and impress potential hiring managers in person, rather than meeting them as a piece of paper. It's far better for you in the long term if you take more time to find a job you're really suited for, based on your actual achievements than to lie to take a shortcut.